FORTE 9 Documentation

Add a Chorus or a Refrain

Add a Chorus or a Refrain

Often in vocal music where the entire form is repeated, there is a section where the same text is sung each time through. This is called a chorus or a refrain. When denoting a chorus or a refrain in a multi-verse setting, the lyric must be of type Chorus.

To Add a Chorus

From the Input Palette , select Chorus from the Lyric Type drop list and either Below Staff or Between Staves from the Lyric Position drop list.

Below Staff will position the lyrics using the symbol spacing settings from the system. Between Staves will center the lyrics between the staff that the lyrics are in, and the staff directly below. If you are entering lyrics into a Grand Staff, or a four voice arrangement (such as a hymn or a barbershop quartet), we recommend using the Between Staves setting.

Some vocal styles contain multi-line choruses or refrains. Typically one line is sung by the upper two voices and the other line is sung by the lower two voices (call and response). Other times the additional chorus line may be an alternate chorus.

To add the upper line, from the Input Palette, select Chorus from the Lyric Type drop list and select Below Staff from the Lyric Position drop list.

Enter the lyrics in the upper staff.

To add the lower line, from the Input Palette, select Chorus form the Lyric Type drop list and select Above Staff from the Lyric Position drop list.

Enter the lyrics in the lower staff.

If the lyrics are too high or too low in the score and they were entered using the Below Staff or the Above Staff setting, you can adjust them by inspecting the system and editing the symbol spacing or you can edit the entire layout

To Edit a Chorus

Be sure the application is in Insert Mode, then select the Lyric button in the Input Palette (just as if you are entering a new lyric). Select Chorus from the Lyric Type drop list.

Move the lyric cursor over a word in the chorus you want to edit, and then click and release the mouse. A text box should appear with the old verse selected.

Type a new chorus to replace the old one and hit the Return key. Press the space bar to proceed to the next lyric (as usual).